1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to output devices for computers, and more particularly, to a modular architecture for output devices that are based on use of a cathode-ray tube (CRT). Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a modular architecture that can be used to produce a number of output devices that include various combinations of additional features such as providing audio output, audio input, visual input and storage areas.
2. Description of the Background Art
The use of computers generally and the diversity of applications for which they may be used has increased greatly in recent years. One particular area of increased use for computers has been multimedia. With multimedia, computers are no longer limited to providing only visual output by displaying images on a display device, but are also required and expected to provide for audio output, audio input, visual input, as well as the use of relatively new media like compact discs and wireless local area networks (LANs). One common approach to satisfying the need for such multimedia devices has been to create new integrated input/output devices that include both a conventional CRT as well as the other components that provide the audio output, audio input, and visual input.
However, such integrated input/output devices have been slow to be produced in mass quantities because of the design effort and time that is required to create such an integrated multiple input/output device. Monitors have traditionally been designed with a dedicated process where all features (e.g., types of input and output capabilities) that the monitor will have are first defined, and then the monitor is designed from the ground up. For example, an integrated input/output device that includes a CRT, speakers for audio output, a microphone for audio input and a video camera for video input, would be designed with the minimum number of parts necessary to house and contain those components. The design is then tested to ensure the proper structural strength and the operability of each of the components. The design process must account for proper isolation between different features such as the monitor and the speakers to make sure that their simultaneous operation does not degrade either component's performance. Once the design has been tested, tooling must be done so that the components can be made in mass quantities. This process can be very time consuming and expensive, and has been a significant cause of the delayed entry of new monitors having multiple features into the market place.
Another problem with the above described approach to constructing and designing monitors is that the same delay to market is encountered each time a new technology is incorporated with the :monitor. For example, consider an infrared (IR) transceiver that might be integrated into the monitor design for use with wireless LANs. Monitors including such an IR transceiver suffer from the same delay and costs of being designed and tested from the ground up just to add the new technology. Thus, there is a need for a system and method of designing and constructing new integrated multiple input/output devices with added functionality more quickly.
Since monitors require such a significant investment of time and resources to develop, the variations of features that an integrated multiple input/output device have continue to be very limited. For example, there are many monitors that provide only a visual output capability. There are also some integrated input/output devices that include video output, audio input, and audio output capabilities. However, there are a number of other intermediate combinations of features such as only video output and video input for which no integrated input/output device exists. Thus, users are forced to choose between the most basic conventional monitor configuration that only provides video output and a monitor that includes all additional features because manufactures do not create monitors with various intermediate combinations of features due to the cost of developing each variation. The limited selection of features offered to the user is even heightened when size of the CRT is considered as an additional feature. For example, only certain sized CRTs are combined with speakers to create integrated multimedia systems.
Therefore, there is a need for a monitor architecture that eliminates the above problems of the prior art, and allows integrated monitors with multiple input and output features to be quickly and easily developed.